Packaging and display tray



Feb. 23, 1965 E. J. KNAPP ETAL 3,170,571

- PACKAGING ANDDISPLAY TRAY Filed Aug. 31, 1962 u( 2| I7 12 2|, zo) x L"Illl f@ y uw duh l I3; MIMI I l hlI |5\'4'\ Il |21 '6" wm! H/l] Il l.we

2 u 22/ INVENTORS Ff- 3 Y fzmzgf THE/R ATTORNEY United States Patent O3,170,571 PACKAGING AND DISPLAY TRAY Eugene J'. Knapp, Corning, andHarry P. Laikas, Addison, N.Y., assignors-to Corning Glass Works,Corning, N .Y., a'cor'porationA of New York FiledlAug. 31, 1962, Ser.No..220,777' 4 Claims. (Cl. 206-72) This-invention relates to a unitarydevice for facilitating thev packaging of a plurality of frangiblearticles in a snigle carton, and more particularly to a light-weight onepiece tray for positioning and maintaining a plurality of frangibledish-shaped articles in a protected impact-resistant orientation within`a packageand for aesthetically displaying such articles.

In the past, it has been customary to package dishshaped articles suchas plates, bowls, and the like with numerous corrugated parts,excelsior, and various types of separators. The use of excelsior hasalways been objectionable to both the ultimate consumer and4 the retailmerchant due tothe inherent mess produced when unpacking the items. Theuse of multiple corrugated parts has also been objectionable to theretail merchant due to the diiculty encountered in re-inserting suchparts when repackaging the item after display or examination by theconsumer. Likewise, due to the number of corrugated pieces utilized andthe numerous folds required with such packing, manufacturers found thatnot only did the excessive time involved in packaging subject them tosubstantial labor costs, but also the additional weight increased theirshipping costs.

Further, due to the conglomeration of packing materials heretoforerequired in packaging such items, it was necessary to completely removethe ware from the carton and its associated packaging material in orderto adequately display the goods As a result, it was necessary for theretail merchant to loosely display the ware on his shelves, usuallystacked in direct ware-to-ware contact. Not only was this type ofdisplay unattractive, but yalso due to the fact that the pieces of warewere openly displayed in contact withy each other, they were readilysubjected to chipping and breakage through constant handling andexamination by customers. In addition, such loosely displayed items wereeasily inadvertently knocked from the shelves by hurrying customers.Also, the merchant was eventually confronted with the almost impossibleproblem of repackaging the items in their proper position within thenumerous packaging components and reinserting them into the originalcontainer.

Our invention includes a novel light-weight unitary tray for packaging aplurality of dish-shaped ware in impactresistant orientation within asingle carton. The tray is formed with a cylindrical cavity whichretains a plurality of dish-shaped ware in a nested relationshiptherein. Wall portions of the cylindrical cavity cushionably engage sideedge portions of the ware and prevent relative lateral movementtherebetween. Also,l the entire contents of the package may be easilyremoved from or repackaged within the outer carton by merely removingthe ware-retaining tray from or reinserting it within the outer carton.Recessed corner portions exposing portions of the ware are formed in thetray so that the ware may be conveniently displayed on the retailshelves in an aesthetic manner, while being retained in a protectivetray-like device. In addition, since the tray is formed of alight-weight material such as a foamed plastic, preferably foamedpolystyrene, and since only one is required per package, not only arelabor costs materially reduced due to the minimum time required toassemble the package, but also shipping costs are materially reduced dueto the reduction in weight over the previously required corrugatedparts.

3,170,571 Patented Feb. 23,k 1965 ICC It thus has been an object of ourinvention to provide an improved packagingy media for simplifyingl andvexpediting the packaging of a plurality of frangible articles in avsingle carton.

A further object of our invention has been to provide a unitarylight-weight trayv for retaining la plurality of frangible dish-shapedarticles in a protective. impact-resistant orientation within a package.

A still further object of our, invention has been to provide a foamedplastic tray for protectively retaining a plurality of dish-shapedarticles within a package in such a manner so that the tray and articlesmay be easily removed from andv reinsertedinto the package as a unit.

Another object' of our invention has. been to provide a foamed plastic.tray for, retaining a plurality of frangible dish-shaped articles in4 animpact resistant protective orientation within a package and foraesthetically displaying such articles when removed from the package.

These and other objects of our invention willv be more apparent to thoseskilled in the art from the following disclosure and' accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIGURE l is a top plan view of a packaging and display tray embodyingour invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view in section taken along line II-II ofFIGURE l; and

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view in section taken along line III-III ofFIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawing, a tray-like member 1l) of substantiallysquare configuration and having a unitary body construction, is showncomprising a substantially planar bottom portion 11 having a circularupper surface 12 surrounded by upright wall portions 13. A circular openportion 14 is formed through the bottom portion 11 and is bounded by atapered wall portion 15. The upright walls 13 are provided withsubstantially planar outer surfaces 16 and a flat top surface 17.

An upwardly open cylindrical cavity 18, having arcuate surface portions2'0 of the configuration of the periphery of surface 12, is formed inthe tray-like member 10 for retaining a plurality of dish-like articles.A plurality of recessed corner portions 21 communicate with thecylindrical cavity 18. The recessed corner portions havedownwardly-inwardly tapered surface portions which communicate betweenthe top surfaces 17 and arcuate portions 20, and at their lowermostpoint extend downwardly to a periphery of circular surface 12 along adiagonal axis of the tray 10. Accordingly, the inner surface 19 of thebounding walls 13 is composed of a plurality of arcuate portions 20extending upwardly from and having the general configuration of theperiphery of surface 12, with a plurality of recessed corner portions 21therebetween having tapered surfaces. An undercut or relieved portion22, communicating with the lower surface of bottom 11, extends upwardlywithin walls 13 adjacent each of the recessed corner portions 21.

In operation, a plurality of frangible dish-shaped articles such assaucers, dishes or bowls are initially positioned within the tray 10 ina nested stacked relationship with paper separators therebetween. Thecentral portion of the bottom of the lowermost article may be nestablyreceived by open portion 14 and bounding wall portion 15. The outermostedges of the dish-shaped articles cushionably engage arcuate portions 20of the inner wall surfaces 19. The bounding walls 13, being made of afoamed plastic such as foamed polystyrene, protect the edges of thedish-shaped articles from impact, whereas the arcuate portions 20prevent relative lateral movement of the articles.

The recessed corner portions 21 provide a ready access to thedish-shaped articles so that they may be easily grasped and removed fromthe tray. Further, since the tray containing the dish-shaped articles isremovable from the packaging carton as a unit, the articles may beconveniently displayed within the tray without separately unpacking eacharticle. Accordingly, the recessed portions 21 also provide a sightIaccess to the stacked, dish-shaped articles retained within the trayfor visual examination, so that the consumer may see the number `ofarticles in each set and the design thereon. The relieved portionsextending upwardly into the body of the tray adjacent the recessedcorner portions 21 reduce theoverall weight of the tray so 'as to retainshipping costs at a minimum.

Although we have disclosed the now preferred embodiment of ourinvention, it will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art that variouschanges and modifications may be made thereto without departing from thespirit and scope thereof as defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. An improved light-Weight tray for packaging and displaying aplurality of frangible dish-shaped articles which comprises, a unitarybody having a bottom portion and upwardly extendingside wall portions,said bottom portion having a circular upper surface, said side Wallportions having substantially planar outer surfaces and inner surfacescommunicating between the periphery of said circular upper surface andthe top of said side Wall portions, said inner surfaces having aplurality of arcuate portions extending vertically upwardly from andhaving 1.Y the general configuration of `a periphery ofsaid circularupper surface, anda plurality of recessed corner portions intermediatesaid arcuate portions having downwardlyinwardly tapered surface portionscommunicating with said arcuate portions and extendingrdownwardly toportions of the periphery of said circular upper surface.

2. A tray as dened in claim 1 wherein a circular open portion bounded bya tapered Wall portion yis formed through the bottom portion of saidunitary body.

3. A tray as defined in claim l wherein said body portion is formed offoamed polystyrene.

4. Av tray as defined in claim 1 wherein relieved p0rtions communicatingwith the lower surface of said bottom portion are formed in said unitarybody adjacent each of said recessed corner portions.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS SampleNov. 17, 1931 1,908,940 Weidel May 16, 1933 2,766,919 Randall Oct. 16,1956 2,886,828 Lattuca May 19, 1959 3,016,177 Chaplin` Jan. 9, 19623,103,303

Lynchey Sept. 10, 1963

1. AN IMPROVED LIGHT-WEIGHT TRAY PACKAGING AND DISPLAYING A PLURALITY OFFRANGIBLE DISH-SHAPED ARTICLES WHICH COMPRISING, A UNITARY BODY HAVING ABOTTOM PORTION AND UPWARDLY EXTENDING SIDE WALL PORTIONS, SAID BOTTOMPORTION HAVING A CIRCULAR UPPER SURFACE, SAID SIDE WALL PORTIONS HAVINGSUBSTANTIALLY PLANAR OUTER SURFACES AND INNER SURFACES COMMUNICATINGBETWEEN THE PERIPHERY OF SAID CIRCULAR UPPER SURFACE AND THE TOP OF SAIDSIDE WALL PORTIONS, SAID INNER SURFACES HAVING A PLURALITY OF ARCUATEPORTIONS EXTENDING VERTICALLY UPWARDLY FROM AND HAVING THE GENERALCONFIGURATION OF A PERIPHERY OF SAID CIRCULAR UPPER SURFACE, AND APLURALITY OF RECESSED CORNER PORTIONS INTERMEDIATE SAID ARCUATE PORTIONSHAVING DOWNWARDLYINWARDLY TAPERED SURFACE PORTIONS COMMUNICATING WITHSAID ARCUATE PORTIONS AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY TO PORTIONS OF THEPERIPHERY OF SAID CIRCULAR UPPER SURFACE.